The Copper Horseshoe Revival: Why modern farriery's quest for healthier hooves passes through a forgotten footnote from industrial history

      This story was sponsored by Stromsholm Farriers Supplies, UK.

Copper: Why is the warm, soft red metal suddenly showing up on horses’ hooves? First it was copper sulphate compounds added to hoof packing and even hoof wall adhesive. For years, pads have been fixed to shoes with copper rivets. During the past few years, farriers have experimented with new copper-shielded nails to improve hoof wall health. Copper-alloy horseshoes have been patented in Germany and South America.

Copper is suddenly part of the conversation.

It sounds like something new, but long ago copper was spelled out in a critical footnote in farrier materials history as well as in industrial safety. Copper is still the same metal but the newest uses of it are rewriting the script, putting the metal to use for reasons never dreamed of in the past. Here, we'll look at the past and present of copper in the hoofcare world, and leave it to all of you to decide whether it has a future or not.

The Annual Report: Wrapping up 2014 with a big blog bow

Happy New Year!

Last week, you read about the Hoof Blog's favorite stories based on numbers. Now, we’ll dissect the blog for you to highlight some stories you might like to bookmark or share, or maybe read for the first time, if you missed them.

Think of this as an index for future reference. You can refer back to it to find stories. Interspersed are some favorite images from the year, which may or may not relate to the text. At the end are some beyond-the-Hoof Blog media files that you can bookmark, download and (hopefully) share.

England Wins 35th International Team Horseshoeing Championship at Stoneleigh; USA Third

No doubt there is still smoke in the air over Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, England tonight, but the coal forges are dark, the hammers have gone silent, the horses are loaded and the farriers? Well, they're probably celebrating somewhere, or else on planes and ferries and trains to the 11 nations they call home.

They all have plenty to celebrate, since just getting to compete at the International Team Horseshoeing Championships is a victory, and representing your country is an honor. If you care about scores or the order of finish, this article is for you.

Scotland's David Varini Wins European Farrier Championship for United Kingdom

Scottish farrier David Varini was World Champion in 2013 and has won the European title previously. (Hoof Blog file photo)

Congratulations to Scottish farrier David Varini, who has just been declared the winner of the European Farriery Championship, held this weekend in England.

It's Official: England's Steven Beane Wins His Fifth Calgary Stampede World Championship Title

The Calgary Stampede did not provide photos of the awards this year, so The Hoof Blog had to go hunting for some. We found a perfect photo taken by Tony Kay, OBE, Her Majesty's British Consul General to Calgary and the prairie provinces of Canada. Tony is now quite a fan of farrier competitions and especially of Steven Beane. He snapped this photo of Steven on the huge video screen above the rodeo grandstand. Ok, I dressed it up a little bit. (Tony Kay photo, used with permission)

Results: English Farrier Steven Beane Wins His Fifth (and Final) Calgary Stampede World Championship in 2014

Steven Beane practicing at home before Calgary. Photo by Aaron Kampfer, used with permission.

Unofficial news from the Calgary Stampede has placed English farrier Steven Beane in the enviable position of having just won his fifth--and no doubt last--world championship at the Calgary Stampede.

Video: English Farrier Steven Beane Crosses Ocean to Judge 2013 Canadian Horseshoeing Championships

 

Results are in from the International Farriery Competitions at Stoneleigh, England

Initial results from the International Farrier Competitions at the Royal Showgrounds in Stoneleigh, England:

Team results
1st place ENGLAND(Beane, Bazin, Devereux and Darlow); 2nd place Wales (Blurton, Martin, Crothers, and Ellis); 3rd place France (Mathieu, Delcroit, Policard, and Baijot). On an individual basis in this class, Travis Koons' score placed him in fourth place....ahead of Crothers and Blurton! Todd Walker was 16th. Not to be forgotten is Aaron Gygax of the Swiss team, who finished 18th on his individual score. Aaron lives in the US and is employed as a farrier in the podiatry clinic at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, KY. Stoneleigh was Aaron's first and only competition of the year!

Individual competition
1. Gary Darlow (England); 2. Darren Bazin (England); 3. Allan Ferrie (Scotland); highest place USA competitor was Travis Koons in 16th place. Other US competitor placings were Trey Green 25th, Billy Reed 26th, Bill Poor 27th, and Todd Walker 28th. Bruce Hauge of Canada was 30th and Aaron Gygax was 35th.

Team gas forging
1 England (Beane, Bazin, Devereux and Darlow), 2 France (Mathieu, Delcroit, Policard, and Baijot), 3 Wales (Blurton, Martin, Crothers, and Ellis), followed by Scotland, Holland, USA, Canada, Norway. Todd Walker was 5th on his individual score, and Colain Duret of Canada was 14th.

Thanks to Carl Bettison, manager of the English team, for sharing these results...and congratulations to anyone who survives that grueling competition!